If it's taking space in the kitchen, mothers will tell you it needs to be a power player. While this wooden board is intended for a loaf of french bread, its elongated form makes a dramatic serving tray. Try these four ways to use this beautiful, fair trade serving piece.

My 30's lurk around the corner like an unfamiliar room. I continue to carve out the life I want to lead, yet it still has not taken form in my hands. What lessons have I learned in my 20's that shape me? What lessons have I evaded? My grandmother, Rosemary Eleanor, is 92 years old and the mother of 14 children. She is active in her church, volunteers at a local hospital, and plays boardgames with her great grand children on the floor. Recently finding herself without the garage door opener, she hit the button, ran, and jumped over the alarm so the door didn't go back up. My dad, the best of storytellers, made the most of this one. Over lunch the other day, I was...